The present invention relates to a retainer for use in fluid couplings which is adapted to be attached to one of a pair of coupling members for holding an annular gasket as interposed between opposed end faces of the coupling members.
Fluid couplings are conventionally used which comprise a pair of coupling members each formed with a gasket clamping annular projection for pressing an annular gasket from opposite sides thereof to provide a fluid-tight joint. The fluid coupling has incorporated therein a retainer which comprises a gasket holder for holding the outer periphery of the annular gasket, and a coupling member holder for holding an end portion of one of the coupling members. The gasket, which is interposed between the opposed end faces of the coupling members, is held to one of the coupling members by the retainer. The coupling member holder comprises a plurality of elastically deformable holding lugs projecting in an axial direction. These lugs are forcibly fitted around the end portion of the coupling member with the outer periphery of the retainer held with fingers, whereby the coupling member end portion is held by the lugs (see JP-B No. 62756/1990 end Japanese Patent Application No.99309/1992).
The conventional retainer for use in fluid couplings has the problem that the elastically deformable holding lugs fail to effectively hold the coupling member when having too small an elastic force, or are difficult to attach to or remove from the coupling member when having an excessive elastic force.